Yeast Infection in the ears... help with applying medicine

[shanniesue2]

Okay, so I found another reason I wish hubby was home... I can't figure out how to put Georgie's medicine in her ears by myself. The vet showed me how to do it, but it's all good for him since he had someone to help hold her. I worked for an hour last night to try and get her to let me put the medicine in her ears, and I just couldn't do it. I tried again this morning, but didn't have enough time to really fight her about it, so she hasn't had the medicine since yesterday.

I have tried sitting on her, wrapping a towel around her, bribing her with treats, holding her by the muzzle, I even popped her on the nose once when she jerked away from me. And everytime, I can get her ear turned inside out and she holds real still until the moment the tip of the ointment applicator touches her ear hair. Then she jerks before I have a chance to squeeze the ointment. I even tried sqeezing a little out before I touch her ear so that it's just sitting on the edge of the applicator. However, it's pretty runny, so it mostly just dripped off the tip before I could even get to her ear. Does anyone have any suggestions for how I can do this by myself??? Hubby will be home just for tonight and then he's gone for the rest of the week So tonight she'll get the medicine. I just don't want to have to wait until Saturday for her to get her medicine.

Oh, and I do want to add that since the day I brought her home, I have messed with her ears and her paws while giving her treats. I mean this is a dog that took me 6-7 months to get her to let me pet her without getting all nutso hyper... so I think the ears and paws are going to take a while longer.

[minnie50]

I do it by putting Crystal in my lap facing me. I have the container ready to go. This way you are looking right in her ear and you can do it quickly but she is probably on to you and a real wiggle wort. If you do get it in be sure to rub the back side of the ear to work it down the canal. It probably will take two people unless you can surprise her. Good Luck

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

I hold their body and their head right against my stomach and chest, then with my hand holding their head against my chest, open up the ear flap.

[mara]

I live alone and my Boxer had frequent ear infections....it can be a struggle. I found that if I sat on the floor with her on my lap, her back towards me that I could hold her head with my left hand and squirt the medication in with my right. Then I'd hold my palm against the ear and massage. Sometimes I'd sing to try and distract her!!! LOL!!! Quite the picture, isn't it!!!
It was kind of messy at times but at least she got some of it in the ear canal.

[shanniesue2]

the thing that makes it extra tricky is that the vet said not to use too much at one time... I'm only supposed to put a little bit, just enough that would cover my thumbnail... and it's ointment, not drops so I can't just squirt it in there and be done with it... I wish she could just be a healthy dog... I mean I love her, but it's always something

[micki]

I found the ointment easier to get into my Joy's ears she hated the liquid.
but i can do just about anything to joy.
good luck

[shanniesue2]

I figured it out this morning! Instead of sticking the applicator in her ear, I put the ointment on the tip of my finger. I put her in a sit stay, and then sat behind her, straddling and holding her, and then rubbed the ointment in with my finger. It took about 5 minutes for both ears!

[Dignity]

Glad you figured it out. I did Loki's ears by myself, I'd hide the container in a pocket, wait for him to go to sleep, walk up to him, roll him on the side he needed, act like I just wanted to pet hime and then.... I'd get the stuff out and get it in his ear quickly before he ran away.